1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to the technical field of control systems and methods for automated production and/or distribution lines. More particularly, the disclosure relates to control systems for controlling and dynamically configuring a production and/or distribution line.
2. Background Information
In conventional control systems for automatic production volume estimation of items (bottles or cans for example) produced on a production line, the items carried along a transport path (on a conveyor, for example) are detected and counted, and encoded identification data included on each item is read out and decoded so as to identify each counted item. Sometimes, the encoded identification data is a barcode (a UPC, “Universal Product Code”, for example), including data corresponding to a product type and item identification information (for example, a bottle of beer of 33 cl of a certain brand). More generally, the encoded identification data include data corresponding to product type identification information. Other examples of such product type identification data are identifiers like SKU (“Stock Keeping Unit”), EAN (“European Article Number”), GTIN (“Global Trade Item Number”), APN (“Australian Product Number”) etc., which are well known to the skilled persons in the field of item identification. Based on the count value and on the read out product type and item identification information, the control system determines a production volume per product type and per item, and/or the control system associates, in a database, codes marked on items and data about said items for track and trace purposes.
In such a context (without being, however, limited to such a context), it is desirable to be able to reconfigure a production and/or distribution line, when needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,413,578 relates to a modular printing system for printing viscous material on electronic substrates, as well as to a control system which may communicate with printing machines and other types of equipment in a production line. The control system may dynamically inform one or more machines in the production line which operations to perform and when.
In the light of the prior art, it is further desirable to be able to efficiently, quickly and reliably reconfigure a production and/or distribution line, for example when the needs of the production and/or distribution process necessitate such a reconfiguration.